Stacy94PGT

Lincoln dealers win top rating

J.D. Power ranks brand highest for satisfaction, service

By Christine Tierney / The Detroit News

A Detroit automaker reclaimed top honors in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2004 survey of customer satisfaction with dealer service as Ford Motor Co.’s Lincoln brand drew the highest score for the first time ever.

Lincoln achieved a record-setting 912 points out of a possible 1,000, reflecting improvements in vehicle quality that led to less repair work, according to the annual survey released Tuesday.

Among owners of one- to three-year-old Lincoln models surveyed, “97 percent said they can get an appointment the day they want it,” said Joe Ivers, executive director of quality and customer satisfaction at J.D. Power.

Several other Ford brands, including Mercury, Land Rover and Ford, also scored big gains. Ford’s troubled Jaguar luxury brand tied with Volkswagen AG’s Audi marque to register the largest improvement in the study.

Last year, Nissan Motor Co.’s Infiniti took first place, followed by General Motors Corp.’s Saturn brand.

GM’s brands all scored above the industry average of 862 points in the 2004 survey. Overall, the industry posted an 11-point gain in customer satisfaction.

The automaker’s Buick nameplate was ranked in second place, just behind Lincoln and ahead of past winners such as Toyota Motor Co.p.’s Lexus.

J.D. Power executives said customer satisfaction with dealer service generally tracks vehicle dependability scores, because owners of reliable vehicles tend to bring cars in primarily for routine maintenance work. But that is not always the case.

The Toyota brand was rated below average, although its score rose to 845 points in 2004 from 807 a year ago. Customers complained about long waits for maintenance work and some confusion about service charges.

How they finished

A look at brands that ranked at the top of the latest Customer Service Index study by J.D. Power, in which 1,000 points is the highest score.

Top brands, score
Lincoln: 912
Buick: 909
Infiniti:908
Cadillac: 904
Lexus: 902
Saturn: 901
Acura: 900
Jaguar: 899
Mercury: 891
Audi: 883
Hummer: 883

__________________
Stacy94PGT
My first car was a 67 Mustang Coupe, 2nd one was a 67 Cougar XR-7, 3rd one was a 66 Mustang Coupe. Why did I get rid of these cars for ? I know why, because I'm stupid, stupid, stupid.

My next Ford.....